Bayleys news & articles

Pet lodge with pedigree goes on the market for sale

Friday, 11 December 2015

Tags: HamiltonRural

A luxury pet lodge which has indoor and outdoor play areas for its feline and canine ‘guests’, underfloor heating for warm paws, and a state-of-the-art jacuzzi for dog bathing facilities, has gone on the market for sale.

The five-star animal boarding business in the Waikato township of Morrinsville is part of a global trend of pet owners seeking premium accommodation for their ‘fur babies’ while they holiday.

Business researcher and analysis company IBISWorld said pet grooming and lodging was a significant growth industry, and in the United States, it had grown 6.2 percent from 2010 to 2015 -generating US$6 billion in revenue annually.

The IBISWorld research said as pet owners demanded more high-brow products and treatments for their pooches and felines, the upward growth trajectory for the industry was set to continue.

Mirroring that trend in New Zealand is Stoney Peak Pet Lodge - with a steadily growing client base and profit, and now on the market for sale.

The pet care data from IBISWorld forecasts that the industry would maintain strong growth - at about 4-percent annually through 2018. The analysis spotlights the business sector hired 170,000 people across 100,000 businesses.

“The pet grooming and boarding industry also had a low level of capital intensity – in 2015, for every dollar spent on labour, the industry would invest just nine cents in capital,” said the report.

“The next owners will be able to hit the ground running here, with everything set up for accommodating a wide range of pets,” he said.

“There are 29 enclosures for large dogs, kitted out with the Mason-design kennel from the US, which is top of the line – very secure, heavy fabric for added creature comforts so to speak, and with welded corners,” he said.

He said the big dogs, such as Great Danes, German Shepherds, and labradors, had room to stretch their legs in the eight outdoor enclosures, and four fully-enclosed grass runs.

Mr Fraser-Jones also said there were 12 enclosures for small dogs, with tile floors and under-tile heating.

“They’ve also got an indoor and outdoor play area, plus a bath with an electric hot water system for washing,” he said.

There was also an extra grass run outside for small dogs. Mr Fraser-Jones said the two catteries within Stoney Peak Pet Lodge provided a comfortable and spacious boarding area.

“One cattery is part of the main building, with an enclosed outdoor area, and an insulated internal and soundproof wall,” he said.

“The other uses the former cowshed, and has 11 enclosures, with a spacious, quiet area for cats and a separate kitchen/preparation area.”

Mr Fraser-Jones said the luxury four-legged friend lodge was set up in 2008 as a hobby business, requiring about four hours work per day. However, there was potential for growing occupancy levels.

“The business’s customer base of 654 has mainly grown through word-of-mouth, and traditional media advertising. There is a potential to grown market awareness through new digital mediums,” he said.

“Turnover is growing steadily year-on-year, and the client base is regular and loyal.”

He said other areas for growth might be long-term boarding options and pet grooming.

New owners of the business would inherit the administrative procedures and programmes Stoney Peak Pet Lodge had set up.

Mr Fraser Jones said Stoney Peak Pet Lodge used a computer programme called ‘Pet Admin’ which stored all customer and pet details, and had written procedures for cleaning and operating the lodge facilities. The owners had also established a close relationship with local vets.

Kennels for small dogs – including 12 enclosures with tile floors, 96sqm

Indoor and outdoor play area for small dogs, 48sqm

Kennels for large dogs – featuring 29 modular enclosures

Eight outdoor enclosures for large dogs, 18sqm

Four fully enclosed grass runs, 528 sqm

Mr Fraser-Jones said the owner/manager’s home, which has spectacular views of the countryside, had been recently renovated - with upgraded insulation in the ceiling, floors, and walls, and landscaped exteriors. He said the three-bay shed and workshop was ideal for future kennel extension.

He said the property was being sold freehold, and the owners invite interested parties with budgets beyond one million dollars.